Lzh Mu Bi Pm Pc 52Hiding Robes

Cīvaraapanidhāna Discourse: Teaching on Hiding Robes

Background

The Cīvaraapanidhāna discourse is recorded in the Vinaya Piṭaka, specifically in the Pāṭimokkhasaṃvara, the disciplinary rules of the Sangha. The Vinaya Piṭaka of the Theravāda Buddhist tradition is a collection of teachings on discipline, conduct, and detailed regulations that help novices and bhikkhus maintain pure moral conduct.

This discourse arose from a specific event in the early Buddhist community. A bhikkhu tried to hide a robe, one of the four basic requisites of one gone forth, for an unwholesome purpose. The matter became known to the Buddha, and he issued instruction and prohibitions to protect the purity of the Sangha. This is one of the precedents (nidāna) leading to the formulation of specific rules of discipline.

Main Content

The discourse revolves around a basic issue: a bhikkhu must not hide or conceal his robe with the intention to deceive, exploit, or act from impure motives. The robe is not merely a material garment; it is a symbol of relinquishing possessions, of the resolve to live simply and dwell in the collective community.

When a bhikkhu hides his robe, that action violates the principle of purity and truthfulness in the rules of conduct. Concealment reflects an unclear state of mind, containing elements of self-will, anger, or greed. These are the defilements (āsava) that practice aims to eliminate.

The disciplinary detail is as follows: if a bhikkhu hides a robe and someone, whether another person or the bhikkhu himself, finds it, the act is regarded as a fault (adhikaraṇa). Depending on the situation, its character may range from a more serious pācittiya offense to lesser forms of disciplinary violation.